Snowy conditions in the Sierra Monday caused major traffic delays on Highway 50 and Interstate 80.

Snowy conditions in the Sierra Monday caused major traffic delays on Highway 50 and Interstate 80.

Share

Shares

Copy Link

{copyShortcut} to copy
Link copied!

Updated: 10:55 PM PST Dec 21, 2015

Hide TranscriptShow Transcript

WEBVTT ROLS UP RIGHT NOW AND COUNT ON THEM TO BE UP TOMORROW MORNING. BACK TO YOU. KELLIE TRAFFIC DELAYS ALONG HIGHWAY 80 HAVE BEEN SIGNIFICANT. ROB: KCRA 3'S DANA GRIFFIN IS LIVE AT BLUE CANYON WITH HOW THE WEATHER IS AFFECTING TRAVEL PLANS. DANA: THIS WEATHER IS NO JOKE. IT LITERALLY TOOK US AN HOUR T TRAVEL ONE MILE. CALTRANS HAS BEEN BUSY TRYING TO KEEP THE ROADS CLEAR, BUT SAYS THE DELAY IS UNPRECEDENTED. >> I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A BAD DA DANA: THERE'S ONLY SO MANY CARS PER HOUR THAT CAN TRAVEL OVER THE SUMMIT ON HIGHWAY 80 WITHOUT DELAYS. TODAY WAS NOT THAT DAY. >> IT'S UNPRECEDENTED. DANA: CALTRANS SAYS TRAFFIC AT TIMES AVERAGED FIVE TO 10 MILES AN HOUR. AND DRIVERS ARE MAKING IT WORSE BY NOT HAVING FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE OR CHAINS. >> WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME PUSHING, PULLING, GETTING PEOP TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. WHEN THEY DO THAT, WHICH SLOWS US DOWN, WHICH SLOWS TRAFFIC DOWN. DANA: IN SOME AREAS CARS MOVED AT A SLOW CRAWL OR NOT AT ALL. >> THIS ISN'T THE FUN PART, BUT PART OF THE JOURNEY. >> SEE THESE THESE THINGS HAVE TO BE UP ON THE TIRE DANA: SOME ARE LEARNING HOW TO INSTALL CHAINS FOR THE FIRST TIME. FOR MICKY MYERS, THE TASK MADE IT ALMOST WORTH CALLING OFF HER HOLIDAY TRIP. >> I MAY FIND THE NEAREST PLAC I CAN FIND, PULL OVER AND QUIT FOR THE DAY. DANA: SHE'S BY HERSELF HEADED TO NEW YORK. DELAYED A FEW DAYS DUE TO WORK, SHE'S TRYING TO GET TO FAMILY AND FRIENDS. >> IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE CHRISTMAS EVE TRIP, BUT I DIDN'T GET OUT OF TOWN IN TIME. SO, THEY'RE WAITING FOR CHRISTMAS FOR WHENEVER I GET THE HELL I GET THERE, WHICH MAY BE NEVER AT THIS POIN DANA: OTHERS KNEW WHAT TO EXPECT. >> WE LIVE IN THE BAY AREA AND WE GOT ON THE ROAD BEFORE NOON AND WE KNEW THAT WOULD BE OU MOMENT OF SANITY TO TRY AND BEAT THE CROWD OUT. DANA: SO, THEY'RE NOT LETTING WEATHER RUIN THEIR HOLIDAY CHEER. >> WELL, WE'RE IN NO SUPER HURRY SO THAT'S GOOD DANA: THERE IS NO ESTIMATE ON HOW LONG THE DELAYS WILL LAST TONIGHT, BUT CALTRANS SAYS YOU CAN EXPECT SIMILAR ISSUES FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS. IN THE SIERRA, DANA GRIFFIN, KCRA 3 NEWS. ROB: ANY OTHER TIPS TO HELP DRIVERS TRY TO AVOID THIS MESS? DANA: CALTRANS SAYS IF YOU WAN TO AVOID THE DELAYS, LEAVING AT

Snow causes major delays on Sierra roads

Snowy conditions in the Sierra Monday caused major traffic delays on Highway 50 and Interstate 80.